Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
6-2025
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Program
Biology
Advisor
Edward Kennelly
Advisor
Ina Vandebroek
Committee Members
Haiping Cheng
Margarett Alexandre
Cassandra Quave
Subject Categories
Alternative and Complementary Medicine | Botany | Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications | Plant Sciences | Women's Health
Keywords
ethnopharmacology, immigrant, Haiti, Dominican Republic, metabolomics, natural products
Abstract
Approximately 55% of the world’s population lives in cities, and the United Nations estimates that this number will rise to 68% by 2050. Urban ethnobotany, the study of people’s traditional knowledge and use of plants in cities, is increasingly important as people adapt their cultural traditions to changing environments. In New York City (NYC), there have been several urban ethnobotany investigations in collaboration with Caribbean immigrant groups. However, there has yet to be an ethnobotanical survey that documents and botanically authenticates the medicinal plants used in the Haitian community. Previous collaborative research with women from the Caribbean in NYC has identified plant species sold in Caribbean shops that have documented use for the treatment of vaginal infections, including sexually transmitted infections, grouped here as gynecological infections. Popular Caribbean plants, such as Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae), have recorded medicinal uses in Haitian ethnomedicine as well. This species, while well-studied for its antibacterial properties, has not yet been analyzed for its effects on pathogenic bacteria in the vagina or the protective vaginal microbiota. Ideally, plants used to treat these conditions would have bioactivity against harmful bacteria with minimal disruption to the beneficial vaginal microflora. Natural products research that considers interactions with pathogenic and beneficial bacteria, as well as the compounds responsible, is on the forefront of addressing the efficacy of medicinal plants for women’s health. We hypothesized that traditional preparations of Argemone mexicana will differ in inhibition of the growth of pathogenic (Gardnerella vaginalis) and beneficial (Lactobacillus) vaginal bacterial due to differences in the concentration of secondary metabolites. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that there will be similarities in plants and women’s health practices between Haitian and other Caribbean communities in NYC, due to the shared flora in the Caribbean. Argemone mexicana was analyzed for its effects on disease-causing bacteria, specifically Gardnerella vaginalis, as well as on prominent beneficial Lactobacillus species found in the vagina. Plant extracts were compared to determine variation in the composition of bioactive phytochemicals across different preparations, using LC-MS-qToF and subsequent multivariate statistical analysis. An ethnobotanical survey with the Haitian community was conducted to further identify additional plant species used to treat gynecological conditions by Caribbean women for future laboratory studies. This data also enabled cross-cultural comparisons with other Caribbean communities in NYC, in particular immigrants from the Dominican Republic. Antibacterial natural products from plants that leave the vaginal microflora intact may provide low-cost and culturally appropriate solutions for ongoing treatment of gynecological infections.
Recommended Citation
Vardeman, Ella Thomas, "The Ethnobotany and Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants for Caribbean Women’s Health" (2025). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6209
Included in
Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Botany Commons, Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Commons, Women's Health Commons
